The invention relates to apparatus useful in providing or directing jet flows of air or fluids. References made to invention disclosure document number 238578 filed by the inventor on Nov. 6, 1989. This is a continuation-in-part application with patent Application No. 07/444,806 filed jointly by the present inventor and Mike Eshelman on Dec. 1, 1989.
There are many situations in which it is necessary to provide a precise burst or stream of air or other fluid. Such a precise burst or stream might need to be at a sufficient pressure to perhaps move an object or to deliver a fluid for application to a precise point. Consequently it is necessary to use fluid jets which may be precisely positioned and which will deliver bursts or streams of the fluid within a narrow range of error and at potentially substantial pressures.
It is frequently necessary to provide such a jet apparatus to be used in conjunction with more substantial machinery. A vibratory feeder bowl may be used to deliver small articles, such as plastic eating utensils, to a given point and may incoporate a system which uses such air jets to perform the functions of separating, sorting, or otherwise ensuring that such eating utensils are properly orientated. Such a device is taught in the parent application, which is fully incorporated herein as an example.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to place such a jets at precise locations with air bursts directed in precise orientations with confidence that such jets would not vary with respect to position and orientation despite the continuous and significant vibration of the bowl system. Additionally, there may be utility for such jets upon automobiles, aircraft, or in heavy machinery wherein fuel or lubricant, air, or other fluids must be precisely delivered in environments subject to violent, sudden motion.
Frequently such jets are positioned such they are readily visible and accessible to those who might work with the served apparatus. Because of their relatively light weight and small size and because they are normally separately constructed and attached to a larger piece of machinery, such jets may be simply tampered with or adjusted by workers who may not fully comprehend the importance of the precise positioning and orientation of the apparatus. Additionally, such jets are normally provided with an elongated or shaped nozzle. Such nozzle may also be exposed and subject to inadvertant contact with objects or persons having reason to move or perform functions in the general proximity of the air jet.
These factors may result in the jets being periodically moved from their optimal position by some form of inadvertant contact. Additionally they could be misadjusted by well intentioned but inappropriate efforts to correct the misdirected bursts caused by an initial inadvertant movement of the jet.
The prior art teaches a variety of fluid jet nozzles. In particular the prior art teaches fluid jet nozzles which are adapted to accomplish specific tasks. For instance U.S. Pat. No. 1,182,898, issued to Eilersten, on May 16, 1916, teaches a nozzle adapted for use to clean out a plumbing system The nozzle is adapted with exterior threads that may be inserted into a pipefitting which is adapted to receive the exterior threads and permit the nozzle into the pipe. The nozzle makes the fluid available to flow in or against the flow direction of the pipe to be cleaned. Accordingly, Eilersten teaches a means and method for directing a jet of fluids in order to accomplish a specific task. Eilersten does not teach a method of permanently affixing one nozzle part to another nor does it teach a means or method of stabilizing a nozzle in a vibrating or unstable environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,611 issued to Hart, on Mar. 3, 1981, teaches the manufacture of a jet nozzle which is subject to outlet orifice control by use of a shape memory effect (SME) material. The invention of Hart teaches a means and method for automatically and remotely controlling the flow of a fluid through a jet nozzle by the use of applying signals to the SME material. By applying the signals to the SME material, such material can be made to change the shape of the jet nozzle outlet orifice in order to control the flow of the fluid. Hart then teaches a means and method for providing continuous flow control to a jet nozzle. It does not teach a means of manufacturing a stable durable jet nozzle or of securly fastening two components of a nozzle apparatus. Additionally, Hart does not teach a means and method of securing the positioning of such a nozzle in a vibrating or unstable environment nor of preventing detection or protecting against tampering with the nozzle flow.
It should also be noted that a number of prior art vibratory feeder bowl devices teach the use of air nozzles as a means of controlling the flow of articles along the vibratory feeder path. Specifically, such use of an air nozzle is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 3,101,832, issued to Wyle on Aug. 27, 1963; U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,279, issued to Dubuit, on Aug. 14, 1979; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,524, issued to Greeves, on Sept. 27, 1988. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,187 issued to Rueff, et al, issued on Nov. 22, 1977, teaches the use of suction valves to control the flow of objects in a conveyor system.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,613 issued to Hucul, et al, on Oct. 10, 1989, which is an assembly for applying a fluid on a workpiece from a storage supply utilizing compressed air as a source of power. The device teaches the use of an injector mounted at a workplace. The device taught in Hucul comprises a series of pressure reservoirs adapted to ensure a consistent measure of air pressure available to accomplish the injection of a less viscous fluid, such as glue, to parts at the workplace.
While each of these air jets or nozzles taught for use in a master apparatus requires the mounting of such nozzles, none of this prior art is meant to provide a durable, stable, and secure form of nozzle apparatus itself nor do such inventions teach a means and method of securely mounting or fastening such a nozzle apparatus. Accordingly what is not taught in the present state-of-the-art is such a jet which is resistant to inadvertant bending, will maintain its orientation and positioning through repeated vibration or vigorous motion of the machinery itself, and which will, with little maintenance, permit a variety of fluids to pass within without much maintenance.